Unemployment insurance fund – A-kasse

What is an unemployment insurance fund (A-kasse)?

An a-kasse is an unemployment insurance fund and pays out unemployment benefits. As an employee and a member of an unemployment insurance fund, you can receive unemployment benefit if you are unemployed for a period of time.

If you become unemployed, you can receive unemployment benefits (dagpenge) after the expiry of the notice period if the following conditions apply:

• You have been a member of an unemployment fund for the past 12 months and have had 1,924 hours of work within the last 3 years as full-time insured or 1,258 hours of work as part-time insured. 
• In addition, you must be registered with your municipal job center and be available for the labour market. This means that you must apply for and be able to take on work for 37 hours per week if you are full-time insured and 30 hours per week when part-time insured.

IDA is not an unemployment insurance fund (A-kasse)

IDA has no independent unemployment insurance fund, but is associated with Akademikernes A-kasse. Questions about unemployment benefits, municipal job centers and availability for the labour market must be directed to your unemployment insurance fund (A-kasse).

IDA is associated with Akademikernes A-kasse

In order to qualify for unemployment benefits in Denmark you have to comply with certain rules. You can read more about unemployment benefits, including the current rates, at Akademikernes A-kasse. Here you can also read about, for example:

• compensation from the employer in the first 2 days of unemployment
• quarantine in the event of self-inflicted unemployment
• activation offers
• the possibilities for unemployment benefits in the event of termination of self-employment. 

If you have been refused unemployment benefits and/or would like to make a complaint

If you are refused unemployment benefits or are met with a claim from the unemployment insurance fund for reimbursement and quarantine, it is possible to appeal such decisions to Styrelsen for Arbejdsmarked og rekruttering (the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment), Center for Complaints about Unemployment Insurance. Decisions from this can then be appealed to Ankestyrelsens beskæftigelsesudvalg (the National Board of Appeal's Employment Committee). If you have questions about your appeal options, you are welcome to contact IDA.  

Questions about unemployment benefits, opportunities for education/courses during unemployment, early retirement pay, etc. must be directed to your unemployment insurance fund.

What is the difference between an unemployment insurance fund (a-kasse) and a union?

An a-kasse and a trade union are two different things. While the a-kasse pays out unemployment benefits and offers counselling when you are unemployed, a trade union like IDA supports you at all stages of your career. We represent you in the collective bargaining process, go through CVs and applications, and arrange thousands of events through our professional networks every year. IDA also offers career counselling if you have been terminated, a conflict arises with your employer, or you just need an informal chat about the next stage of your career. 

IDA Insurance offers a supplementary unemployment insurance. If you choose to supplement your a-kasse membership, you can receive as much as 90% of your salary and get an extra sense of security. Read more here. 

About Akademikernes A-kasse

Akademikernes A-kasse consider it their most important task to help members move on in the best way possible. In addition to providing financial security, the a-kasse provides important support when you transition from student life to working – when you land your first job as a new graduate, are between jobs, or consider starting your own business.

The self-proclaimed goal of the a-kasse is to develop services and counselling that prepares members for the job market of the future where employees are likely to change jobs much more often than previously.